Safety releasable ski binding

ABSTRACT

A front toe stop for mounting on a ski, comprising a body for fixing to the ski and upon which a jaw is resiliently pivotally mounted. The jaw grips the front toe part of a ski boot sole and normally maintains the boot longitudinally in respect of the ski but allows the sole of the boot to escape when lateral forces exceed a certain limit. The resiliency of the jaw is adjusted by altering the tension in a spring-loaded rod which operatively connects the jaw to the body. The rod extends through a socket itself housed within a hollow portion of the body, with the open end of the socket end the hollow portion facing away from the jaw, a helical spring being retained under compression in the socket, surrounding the rod, by a calibration nut on that end of the rod remote from the jaw. The tension of the spring can be adjusted by rotation of the calibration nut, or by rotation of a hollow plug screwed onto the exterior of the open end of the sprocket and engaging the open end of the hollow portion of the body. The plug is keyed to prevent longitudinal displacement with respect to the body so that rotation of the plug moves the socket away from the jaw thus increasing the tension in the spring. Seals prevent water and mud from entering the hollow portion of the body and the socket.

United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,866,930

Salomon i Feb. 18, 1975 SAFETY RELEASABLE SKI BINDING [75] Inventor:Georges Pierre Joseph Salomon, [57] ABSTRACT Annecy, France A front toestop for mounting on a ski, comprising a body for fixing to the ski andupon which ajaw is resil- [73] Asslgnee: Franco Salomon & Flls ientlypivotally mounted. The jaw grips the front toe Annecy France part of aski boot sole and normally maintains the boot 22 12 1974 longitudinallyin respect of the ski but allows the sole of the boot to escape whenlateral forces exceed a cer' tain limit. The resiliency of the jaw isadjusted by altering the tension in a spring-loaded rod which opera-{30} F i A li ti p i Data tively connects the jaw to the body. The rodextends through a socket itself housed within a hollow portion [21]Appl. No.: 441,814

Feb, 14, 1973 France 73.05l90 of the body, with the Open end of thesocket and the [52 11.5. c1 280/11.35 T hollow R f facing away from h aa helical 51 im. c1. A63c 9/08 Spring m flamed under cqmprsslon m thesocket. [58] Field of Search 280/1135 T Surroundmg the by a cflllbratlonHut 011 that n of the rod remote from the jaw. The tension of the [56]References Cited spring can be adjusted by rotation of the calibrationnut, or by rotation of a hollow plug screwed onto the UNITED STATESPATENTS exterior of the open end ofthe sprocket and engaging 3,523,6739/1970 y 280/11-35 T the open end of the hollow portion of the body. The3,584,891 6/1971 Khazzam 280/l1.35T plug is keyed to preventlongitudinal displacement Ha're g E with respect to the body so thatrotation of the plug 3:689:095 9/1972 5 T moves the socket away from theaw thus increasing the tension in the spring. Seals prevent water andmud from entering the hollow portion of the body and the PrimaryExaminer-Robert R. Song gocket Attorney, Agent, or FirmRobert E. Burns;Emmanuel J, Lobato; Bruce L. Adams 14 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures 1 53 22lfi jbz leq t ///Al "I 11 g ll! L V LL SAFETY RELEASABLE SKI BINDINGBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to adisconnectable safety stop for a ski, comprising a jaw acted on, in theposition for securing a ski boot, by a resilient tension device arrangedlongitudinally in relation to the ski, its tension being adjustable bymeans of a regulating nut or similar means.

Safety stop devices of this type are already known in which theretaining jaw of the stop is acted on by the resilient tension device,which comprises a spring, via an intermediate member connecting the saidjaw to the end of the spring opposite to it. The tension of the saidspring is adjusted by means of a nut forming a plug in front of the body(spatula side), in which it slides on each displacement of the jaw.

These front stops involve certain drawbacks, as they are not hermetic,so that impurities and water can find their way into the hollow part ofthe body of the stop, containing the tension regulating means for theelastic device, which means adjusts the firmness or resiliency of thefixture. This may detract from the operation of the stop. Furthermore,the entry of snow or water between the plug and the body of the stop maycause these two parts to be jammed together in the event of a frost.

Neither is it possible with the known tension regulating devices toeffect a calibration, i.e. an adjustment of the tension of the springwhen at rest, without changing the actual tension regulating references.

The purpose of the present invention is to remedy these drawbacks byproviding a fixture'of a particular simple design at low cost,guaranteed to be completely hermetic and enabling the resilient jawreturn device to be calibrated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION For this purpose, the disconnectable safetystop according to the invention, comprising a body mountable on a ski, ajaw pivotably mounted on the said body and holding the end of a ski bootin the central position of rest, a resilient device arrangedlongitudinally in relation to the ski, in a longitudinal hollow part ofthe said body and acting on the said jaw in the direction for thecentral position for securing the boot, an intermediate connectingmember at least partly held in the said hollow portion and connectingthe said jaw to a first end of the resilient device opposite to it, andmeans for regulating the tension of the resilient device, comprising aregulating nut or similar device, is characterized by the fact that thetension regulating means also include an elongate member extending intothe longitudinal hollow part of the body, coaxially with the resilientdevice and the intermediate connecting member connected to the jaw, thesaid elongate member being provided, towards its end opposite to thejaw, with a screwthreaded portion onto which is screwed the regulatingnut, which engages the body, and by the fact that the resilient devicebears, by its second end close to the jaw, on the other end of the saidelongate member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Embodiments of the present inventionwill now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is an axial and vertical view of a front safety stop, fitted witha device for regulating the firmness or resiliency of the stop, capableof being calibrated, in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 2 is an axial and vertical section of an alternative construction.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The front safety stop shown in FIG.1 and affixed to the upper surface of a ski 1, is of the kind whichcomprises a body 2 connected to the ski by a base plate 3. The body 2bears a jaw 4 serving to secure a ski boot and having a centre yoke 5provided with two horizontal branches 6, 7, through which passes atrunnion 11 about which the jaw can pivot in the event of adisconnection of the boot from the ski. The jaw is acted on in a forwarddirection (i.e. to the right as viewed in FIG. 1), for securing theboot, by a resilient device 8, of which the tension can be adjusted toany degree desired by regulating means described later.

The device 8 may consist, without being limited thereto, of a helicalspring arranged longitudinally in respect of the ski l. The spring 8rests, by its end opposite to the jaw 4, against a calibrating nut 9screwed onto the threaded portion 12 ofa rod 17 extending horizontallyinside the spring 8. The other end of the rod 17 extends outside thebody 2 and is traversed by the trunnion 11. The rod 17 thus forms andintermediate connecting piece between the jaw 4 and an end of the spring8.

The other end of the spring 8, i.e. that situated on the same side asthe jaw 4, bears by an annular fluidtight seal 15, surrounding the rod17, on the transverse base 14a of a socket 14 having a hole 13 throughwhich the rod 17 passes. The socket 14 extends longitudinally andsurrounds the spring 8, the said socket and the spring 8 and the rod 17being coaxial.

The seal 15 prevents water and mud from finding their way into thesocket 14.

As may be seen from FIG. I, the socket 14 extends over almost the wholelength of the rod 17; it nevertheless leaves exposed the calibrating nut9, so that it will be accessible. I

The socket 14 is provided on its periphery, on the part at the endremote from the jaw 4, with a thread 16 onto which is screwed aregulating plug 18'forming a blind nut and provided for this purposewith a tapping 18a. The screw thread 16 terminates at a certaindistance, a, from the end of the socket 14. The socket 14 is itselfhoused in a longitudinal hollow portions 2a of the body 2, of whichportion the base is traversed by the rod 17 and of which the orifice issealed by the regulating plug 18. This plug, of which the greater partre mains outside the hollow portion 2a so that it can be screwed ontothe socket 14 by hand, is partly held in the said hollow portion 2a andis provided, on an external annular shoulder 19, with an annular seal 21by which it bears on the front surface 2b of the body 2 forming the edgeofthe orifice ofthe hollow portion 2a. The seal 21 thus prevents waterand mud from centering the hollow portion 20 between it and theregulating plug 18.

The internal wall of the body 2, defining the hollow portion 2a, has alongitudinal groove 22 engaged by two bosses 23, 23a provided on theexternal surface of the socket l4 and aligned longitudinally. Thesebosses prevent the socket 14 from rotating out of place, while at thesame time enabling it to perform a traversing movement; The body 2 isprovided in the upper part, above the boss 23, with a window 28, whichmay be closed by a transparent cover. The window 28 thus enables theboss 23 of the socket 14 to be seen, providing an indication of thetension of the spring 8 as it may, for example, bear a graduated scale30.

The regulating plug 18 has an external annular groove 24 engaged by apin 25 introduced into the body 2 through a hole 31. The regulating plug18 can thus rotate freely on the body 2, while being prevented, by thepin 25, from performing a traversing movement.

From the foregoing description, therefore, it may be seen that thehelical tension spring 8 is more or less compressed between thecalibrating nut 9, screwed onto the threaded protion 12 of theintermediate rod 17, on the one hand, and the transverse base 140 of thesocket 14, on the other.

The total force supplied by the tension spring 8 thus becomes subdividedinto two equal forces, i.e. a first force,'directed towards the rightand causing the jaw 4 to bear against appropriate abutments in theposition for securing the boot, and a second force, directed towards theleft and, via the socket 14, causing the regulating plug 18 to bearagainst the front surface 2b of the body 2, via the annular seal 21. Ifthe regulating plug 18 is rotated in an appropriate direction,corresponding to an increase in the tension of the spring 8 and thus inthe firmness of the fixture, the socket 14, prevented from rotating,will merely perform a translatory movement, in the direction of the base32 of the plug 18. The compression of the spring 8 is thus intensifiedand its tension increased, the variation in the operating tension beingindicated by the displacement of the boss 23, bearing the graduation 30,in front of the window 28. A rotation of the plug 18 in the reversedirection manifests itself in a corresponding reduction in the tensionof the spring 8.

The fixture to which the invention relates provides an easy means ofcalibration, i.e. regulation of the tension of the spring 8 at rest,without altering the regulating references. To effect the calibration,all that is required is to unscrew the regulating plug 18 altogether, inorder to separate it from the socket 14. At this moment, owing to thefact that the socket is no longer held by the plug 18, it bears againstthe base of the longitudinal hollow portion 2a. The calibrating nut 9 isthen accessible at the open end of the socket l4, and by turning thisnut to a greater or smaller distance it is possible 'to vary the tensionof the spring 8 at rest, so as to obtain a constant minimum tension ofthe spring at rest, whatever the manufacturing tolerances. Oncethiscalibration has been effected, all that is required is to screw theplug 18 back onto the threaded part 16 of the socket'l4, in order toensure that as soon as the plug bears against the edge 2b, via the seal21, the tension of the spring 8, i.e. the firmness of the fixture, canbe adjusted to the required level.

Thanks to the presence of the seals and 21, the body 2 encloses, in itshollow portion 2a, in a hermetic manner, the entire apparatus forregulating the tension of the spring S, with the exception of the plug,which is easily accessible from the outside. The actuating andregulating devices are thus fully protected from water and mud.

Furthermore, the seal 2] acts as a friction device and prevents theundesired accidental sudden disconnection of the regulating plug 18.-

The length a of the non-threaded part provided at the end of the socket14 is greater than the depth 1) of the non-tapped part of the plug 18,i.e. extending between the end of the tapping 18a and its base 32, toprevent damage to the thread at the end of the adjusting movement, inother words, when the tension of the spring 8 is set to the maximum andthe front surface of the socket 14 bears against the base 32 of theplug.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the jaw 4 is connected to an externalcylindrical socket 33 serving as an intermediate connecting piece, thissocket being housed in the hollow portion 2a of the body 2. The socket33 terminates, at its end remote from the jaw 4, in a transverse base33a, having a central hole 34 traversed by a rod 35 partly housed insidethe socket 33.

The resilient tension device 8, consisting of a helical spring, ishoused in the interior of the socket 33 and surrounds the rod 35. Thisspring bears, at its end towards the jaw 4, against a collar 36 integralwith the rod 35, while at its other end it bears against an annular seal37 interposed between the spring and the base 330 of the socket 33.

The rod 35 comprises a screw-threaded portion 38 projecting outside thesocket 33, onto which portion is screwed the calibrating nut 9. Thethreaded portion 38 of the rod 35 likewise passes through a central hole39 made in a cap 40 screwed onto the body 2. A nut 41 for regulating thetension of the spring 8, i.e. the firmness or resiliency of the fixture,is screwed onto the end of the threaded rod 38.

From the foregoing description it may be seen that in this secondembodiment, it is the external socket 33 which acts as an intermediateconnecting piece between the spring 8 and the jaw 4. The calibration,i.e. the regulation of the tension of the spring 8 at rest, is effectedby rotating the calibrating nut in one direction or the other asappropriate, on the screw-threaded portion 38. The operating tension ofthe spring 8, i.e. the firmness or resiliency of the fixture, isregulated by means of the external nut 41, the part of the rod 35projecting towards the outside serving, according to its length, as anindicating device for the tension of the spring.

To pass through the body, the socket 33 may be limited to two blades, anupper and a lower one, moving in two blade holders, around which afluid-tight and lubricating seal may be provided.

The various devices for-regulating the tension and for calibrating theresilient device may be applied to any type of fixture in which the jawfor securing the boot is acted on in a direction ensuring a centrallocking position, whatever the manner in which it is released sideways,vertically or by a combined motion.

1 claim:

1. Disconnectable safety stop for a ski, comprising a body mountable onthe ski, ajaw pivotably mounted on the said body for holding the toe endof a ski boot in a central position of rest, resilient means arrangedlongitudinally in respect of the ski in a longitudinal hollow portion ofthe said body and acting on the said jaw in the direction of the centralposition for securing the boot, an intermediate connecting member atleast partly held in the said hollow portion and connecting the said jawto one end of said resilient means remote from said jaw, and means foradjusting the tension of said resilient means, said tension adjustingmeans comprising a regulating member and an elongate member extendinginto the longitudinal hollow portion of the body coaxially with saidresilient means and said intermediate connecting member, the saidelongated member being provided, at its end remote from the jaw, with ascrew-threaded portion onto which said regulating member is screwed suchthat said regulating member engages the body, said resilient meansbearing, by its other end close to the jaw, on the other end of the saidelongate member.

2. Safety stop according to claim 1, in which said regulating membercomprises a nut.

3. Safety stop in accordance with claim 2, wherein the intermediateconnecting member consists of a central rod extending longitudinallyinside said resilient means and terminating in a screw-threaded portiononto which is screwed a calibrating nut, said calibrating nut serving asa support for the said one end of the resilient means, and whereintheelongate member consists of a socket coaxially surrounding theresilient means and the rod positioned inside it, the said socket beingopen at its end remote from the jaw, but closed at its other end closeto the jaw by a transverse base traversed by the rod, the said other endof the resilient means bearing on the said base, the socket beingprovided on its exterior end portion with a screw thread onto which isscrewed the tension regulating nut, said regulating nut forming a hollowplug engaging the body.

4. Safety stop according to claim 3, further comprising means forpreventing rotation of the socket inside the hollow portion of the body,while at the same time enabling the said socket to perform alongitudinal translatory movement relative to the body, and whereinmeans are provided for preventing the regulating nut from performing atranslatory movement with respect to the body, while at the same timeallowing it to rotate with respect to the body.

5. Safety stop according to claim 4, wherein the socket is provided onits external lateral surface with at least one boss sliding in alongitudinal groove provided in the exterior wall defining the hollowportion of the body.

tension of the resilient means.

7. Safety stop according to claim 6, wherein said window is sealed by atransparent cover.

8, Safety stop according to claim 7, wherein said one boss bears agraduated scale for indicating the tension of said resilient means.

9. Safety stop according to claim 4, wherein the regulating plug isprovided, in the portion engaged in the hollow portion of the body, witha transverse annular groove in which is engaged a pin secured in a holein the body.

10. Safety stop according to claim 3, wherein the said other end of theresilient means bears against the base of the socket via an annular sealsurrounding the rod.

11. Safety stop according to claim 3, wherein the regulating plugengages the front surface of the body surrounding the hollow portion viaan annular seal forming a friction device.

12. Safety stop according to claim 3, wherein the screw-threaded portionof the socket terminates at a distance from the open end of the socketwhich is greater than the depth ofa non-threaded portion of the hollowplug at its innermost end.

13. Safety stop according to claim 1, in which the intermediateconnecting member consists of a socket extending longitudinally in thehollow portion of the body, surrounding the resilient means, and closedat its end remote from the jaw by a transverse base on which the one endof said resilient means bears, and wherein said elongate member consistsof a central rod extending longitudinally in the socket through a holein the base thereof, having at its internal end a stop on which theother end of the'resilient means engages, said rod having ascrew-threaded external portion onto which is screwed a calibrating nutagainst which bears the base of the socket under the action of saidresilient means, the tension regulating member being screwed onto aportion of the threaded portion of the rod which projects outside thebody.

14. Safety stop according to claim I, wherein said resilient meanscomprises a helical tension spring.

1. Disconnectable safety stop for a ski, comprising a body mountable onthe ski, a jaw pivotably mounted on the said body for holding the toeend of a ski boot in a central position of rest, resilient meansarranged longitudinally in respect of the ski in a longitudinal hollowportion of the said body and acting on the said jaw in the direction ofthe central position for securing the boot, an intermediate connectingmember at least partly held in the said hollow portion and connectingthe said jaw to one end of said resilient means remote from said jaw,and means for adjusting the tension of said resilient means, saidtension adjusting means comprising a regulating member and an elongatemember extending into the longitudinal hollow portion of the bodycoaxially with said resilient means and said intermediate connectingmember, the said elongated member being provided, at its end remote fromthe jaw, with a screw-threaded portion onto which said regulating memberis screwed such that said regulating member engages the body, saidresilient means bearing, by its other end close to the jaw, on the otherend oF the said elongate member.
 2. Safety stop according to claim 1, inwhich said regulating member comprises a nut.
 3. Safety stop inaccordance with claim 2, wherein the intermediate connecting memberconsists of a central rod extending longitudinally inside said resilientmeans and terminating in a screw-threaded portion onto which is screweda calibrating nut, said calibrating nut serving as a support for thesaid one end of the resilient means, and wherein the elongate memberconsists of a socket coaxially surrounding the resilient means and therod positioned inside it, the said socket being open at its end remotefrom the jaw, but closed at its other end close to the jaw by atransverse base traversed by the rod, the said other end of theresilient means bearing on the said base, the socket being provided onits exterior end portion with a screw thread onto which is screwed thetension regulating nut, said regulating nut forming a hollow plugengaging the body.
 4. Safety stop according to claim 3, furthercomprising means for preventing rotation of the socket inside the hollowportion of the body, while at the same time enabling the said socket toperform a longitudinal translatory movement relative to the body, andwherein means are provided for preventing the regulating nut fromperforming a translatory movement with respect to the body, while at thesame time allowing it to rotate with respect to the body.
 5. Safety stopaccording to claim 4, wherein the socket is provided on its externallateral surface with at least one boss sliding in a longitudinal grooveprovided in the exterior wall defining the hollow portion of the body.6. Safety stop according to claim 5, wherein a window is provided in thebody opposite one of the bosses, the said one boss forming a device forindicating the tension of the resilient means.
 7. Safety stop accordingto claim 6, wherein said window is sealed by a transparent cover. 8.Safety stop according to claim 7, wherein said one boss bears agraduated scale for indicating the tension of said resilient means. 9.Safety stop according to claim 4, wherein the regulating plug isprovided, in the portion engaged in the hollow portion of the body, witha transverse annular groove in which is engaged a pin secured in a holein the body.
 10. Safety stop according to claim 3, wherein the saidother end of the resilient means bears against the base of the socketvia an annular seal surrounding the rod.
 11. Safety stop according toclaim 3, wherein the regulating plug engages the front surface of thebody surrounding the hollow portion via an annular seal forming afriction device.
 12. Safety stop according to claim 3, wherein thescrew-threaded portion of the socket terminates at a distance from theopen end of the socket which is greater than the depth of a non-threadedportion of the hollow plug at its innermost end.
 13. Safety stopaccording to claim 1, in which the intermediate connecting memberconsists of a socket extending longitudinally in the hollow portion ofthe body, surrounding the resilient means, and closed at its end remotefrom the jaw by a transverse base on which the one end of said resilientmeans bears, and wherein said elongate member consists of a central rodextending longitudinally in the socket through a hole in the basethereof, having at its internal end a stop on which the other end of theresilient means engages, said rod having a screw-threaded externalportion onto which is screwed a calibrating nut against which bears thebase of the socket under the action of said resilient means, the tensionregulating member being screwed onto a portion of the threaded portionof the rod which projects outside the body.
 14. Safety stop according toclaim 1, wherein said resilient means comprises a helical tensionspring.